The Self Flashcards
The meaning maintenance model
• Ppl look for meaning in events.
• To perceive events in though a prism that maintains order, certainty & value to their lives
1. seeking explanation to explain relations btwn events & themselves
2. humans find it problematic to be robbed of meaning
3. when meaning frameworks are threatened, ppl will try to reaffirm alternative frameworks
Self concept
collection of self representations
Social identity
ones self concept connected to a group
Personal identity
self concept unique to the individual and NOT connected to the group
Work-self concept
- Brought to mind by a situation or by personal needs
* ppl have many “selves”
Looking glass self theory
• We come to know ourselves based on how others see us
•Kenny & Depaulo 1993:
- rather than observing others actual response to us we rely on our own theories on what others think of us = self defenition
Self affirmation theory (Steele, 1988)
- to protect the image of self integrity & adequacy
* ppl want to feel like they are a good person
Self presentation
• strategies ppl use to shape what others think of them
• meeting ppls representatives
• we overestimate how much people are actually evaluating us, most ppl are too busy thinking about themselves
•ex: honeymoon stage in a relationship where there are no arguments and then once this stage is over you kind of see the rest of the person
ex: putting up our best pics on social media
Self-serving bias
- tendency to perceive oneself favorably
* ex: if we pass a test we believe it is bc we are smart
Better than average effect for attractiveness
- ppl believe that the most favorable ex. of their attractiveness (above average photos)
- for strangers= the worst pic or below average
Unrealistic otimism
- many of us unrealistic positive view of things that will happen to us
- ex: asking a married couple what are the chances of them getting divorced & the couple says 0%. This is also an indication that they are NOT deppressed
False concencous
tendency to overestimate the commonality of ones opinions, undesirable or unsuccessful behaviors
False uniqueness
overestimate the commonality of our abilities
ex: not everybody can do this
Self-handicapping
- creating obstacles/excuses b4 performances
- if we fail=external attribution, w/ reason, won’t feel so guilty
- short term gain=long term costs
Bask In Reflected Glory (BIRG/BIRGING)
- ppl feel that they can share the glory of a successful other w/ whom they are some way associated
- trying to connect yourself with successful ppl/others
- ex: saying that you saw a successful football player across the street
3 pervasive, enduring & systematic allusions about the self
- unrealistic positive self- evaluations: most ppl believe they are better than average & better than others see them.
- exaggerated perceptions of control: overestimate their degree of control over heavily chance determined events
- unrealistic optimism: unrealistic positive views of the future
• Taylor & brown suggest: positive illusions is good for mental health
Cognitive dissonance
• unpleasant state of psychological discomfort when we become aware that our cognitions (attitude) are inconsistent w/ our behavior, ppl are motivated to reduce this discomfort.
ex: I am a good person (belief). I just cheated on my exam (behavior)
Resowing dissonance
- Change our behavior: make it consistent w/ our attitudes/ beliefs
- change our attitudes: to be consistent w/ behavior
- add new cognition & thoughts: that are consistent w/ behavior, attitudes & believes (RATIONALIZE)
Moral disengagement
• re-labeling inconsistent or questionable behavior for a moral purpose
Moral Hipocracy
• often apply strict moral standards on other ppl, but do not apply the same standards to ourselves
The bad/How to curve dishonest behavior
- Strict laws/rules
- reminded of own standards (mirror)
- self reflection (automatic cognition)
- honor, moral, religious codes
- Public accountability (dishonest behavior drops when ppl are less able or allowed to justify dishonest behavior)
Justification effort
• tendency for individuals to INCREASE THEIR LIKING for something they have WORKED for.
• Arson & Mills (1959)
- justification of effort & increased commitment
- behavior in this situation shaped attitude
- short term strategies can have long term consequences
Self-schemas
- beliefs about the self
* someone who believes they are overweight=the supermarket or buying new clothes can trigger thoughts about the self
Affective forecasting
• process of predicting how one would feel in response to future emotional events.
Self perception theory
• ppl getting input on themselves by observing themselves
Dialectism
• eastern system of thought that accepts the coexistence of contradictictry characteristics within a single person.
Terror magnet theory
- the theory that humans cope with the thought of death with the belief by constructing world views that help perserve their self-esteem
- ex: religious explanations for why we exist
self awareness theory
• self attention leads ppl to notice self discrepancies by either an escape of self awareness or change of behavior
implicit egotism
• nonconsious form of self enhancement
downward social comparision
•comparing ourselves to ppl who are worst off
Self-monitoring
• tendency to change behavior in response to the self-presentation concerns of the situation
